Oregon SNAP Payment Error Rate

Accuracy protects SNAP participants and Oregon’s bottom line

Historically, the federal government fully funded SNAP benefits. The federal budget bill passed in July 2025, H.R.1, establishes a new framework requiring states to pay a share of costs based on their payment error rate (PER).

• States with a PER below 6% will not be required to pay any cost share. States with a PER of 6% or higher will pay a cost share, up to a maximum of 15% for those with a PER of 10% or more.
  
• In 2024, Oregon’s PER was 14.06%.
• The new cost sharing amount will be based on our PER for fiscal year 2025 or 2026, whichever is lower. 
• If our PER stays above 6% but below 13.34%, cost sharing will begin Oct. 1, 2027. 
• If our PER is 13.34% or above for fiscal year 2025, cost sharing will begin Oct. 1, 2028. 
• If our PER stays above 10% but below 13.34%, we will have a 15% cost share, which would cost an estimated $438 million during the 2027-29 budget biennium. 

SNAP strengthens Oregon communities

In Oregon, 1 in 6 people rely on SNAP food benefits. But SNAP does more than put food on the table. It drives $1.6 billion into Oregon's economy each year, supporting local farmers, grocers and food workers.

SNAP is a proven tool against hunger and poverty:

• More than 54% of Oregon SNAP participants are families with children.
  
• More than 37% live with an older adult or person with a disability.
• 35% of households have very low incomes, at or below half of the poverty line.
• Between 2015 and 2019, SNAP lifted 96,000 Oregonians above the poverty line, including 44,000 children.

SNAP helps Oregon families stay nourished, supports local businesses and strengthens communities across the state.

How payment errors can happen

Many people applying for or renewing SNAP have a hard time providing the right information or reporting changes in their income, housing costs or household members. These challenges cause mistakes in benefit payments.

Steps we're taking to improve accuracy in SNAP

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) continues making important changes to support staff and reduce errors so people in Oregon get the help they need.

Training and support for staff

• Short videos that cover common problem areas like rental income, student eligibility and identity checks.
• Updating staff guides to reflect the latest rules.
• Refresher trainings on key deductions, such as housing, utilities and medical expenses.
• Workshops with leadership to focus on accurate income calculations, interview skills and data entry.
• Ongoing collaboration with staff to identify training needs so they can better serve clients.

Support for customers

• Outreach through social media, media and community partners to raise awareness about tools and resources to help people share accurate information.
  
• Short videos that cover common problem areas like income, housing and utility costs, and household composition.
  
• Tips and tools in multiple formats and languages, including web pages and flyers.
  

Investing in improvements

ODHS is focusing on:

• Fixing root causes of errors, like income calculations, housing costs and household information.
• System upgrades like adding quality check screens, helpful prompts, and dashboards to catch mistakes and track improvements.
  
• More training tools including small, focused learning modules to help staff quickly address problem areas.

Our commitment

We know that change can be challenging for both staff and clients. ODHS is committed to providing clear guidance, useful tools and strong support so every person in Oregon gets the right benefits on time.